Floating roof for oil tanks



June 19, 1928. I 1,674,038

C. A. GLASS FLOATING ROOF FOR OIL TANKS Filed April 18, 1924 Q v- 7 JNVENTOR N 67/ yak/7045.5.

A TTORNEIY tank) is a sealing means. The sealing means Patented lune 19, 19 28. I

UNITED STATES 1,674,038 PATENT OFFICE.

CLIFTON A. GLASS, OF KANSKS CITY, MISSOURI.

FLOATING ROOF FOR OIL TANKS.

Application filed April 18,

view through a tank having a floating roof constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of on of the floatable sealing members. i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional view showing one of the sealingmembers at the point of connection of two overlapping lates con-, stituting the wall of the tank, and v Fig. 4 is a view of a slightly modified form of sealing means;

The tank is of usual construction having a bottom 1,- a vertical wall 2, a roof 3, a gauge, hole cover 4, a breatherpipe 5 anda roo support 6; The roof 3, however, need not be air-tight because the floating roof or deck constituting my' invention will seal ofl atmosphere iromthe oil.

The floating deck or root is shown as in the form of a pan having a bottom 7 and an inturned, outwardly extending flange 8 to provide a substantially wedge-shaped s ace 9 between the flange 8 and the wall 2 o the Bridging the space between the periphery sive with the cross sectional area of the consists of 'a ring preferably made of a plurality of tubular sections 10, having flattened ends 11 and 12 .and adapted tobe inflated throu h a valve 13. Air will be introduced into t e sections 10 at low pressure and the sections are preferably weighted withgravel, shot or other similar material indicated at 14 (Fig. 2) so that the tubular sealing means will tend to wedge against the inwardly in clined flange Sand the wall 2 of the tank.

- ilar. ends on complementary segmentalsectionsto form a continuous ring around the pan and while theringmay made of one of the pain (which is substantially co-exten-' 1924. Serial No. 707,429.

piece, I prefer to construct it in sections because the sect-ions can be more-easily handled, shipped and set up than can a continuous ring; Another, advantage is that should the ring become damaged at any point, it will be only necessary to insert a new section to restore the ring to its origi" nal condition;

It will be a parent that the sealing of the outer edge 0 the pan-shaped. roof will be insured so in order to'prevent evaporation through the opening 15 in the center of the pan through which the verticalv 6 extends, I' provide a conical flange 16, packed by a ring 17'similar to the sealing ring at theouter edge of the pan and I may provide a swing pipe compartment 18 with an opening 19 therein, through which a flexible connection '20 extends, accessible from the exterior of the tank and connected to the swing pipe 21. I have also shown athief hole 22, having a cover 23 hinged at 24 and provided with a flexible connection 25 accessible from 'the gauge hole cover 4 so that the thief hole can pe opened for gauging, sampling and the ike. In Fig.3 I have shown a lap joint 26 where two plates 27 and 28 join. This is the usual construction of the vertical wall of the tank, the illustration in Fig. 3 being designed to show how the sealing means 10 will'conform to the lap joint to absolutely maintain the seal. V

The bottom of the deck may be provided .0 with a depending flange 29 if desired and a a similar flange 30 may be provided for the hole 15 to prevent any vapor within the auge hole cover esca in'gthrough the space tween the roof an the wall of the tank or through the opening. 15.

The roof is preferably constructed of metal but by providing it in.the shape of a pan'it will be obvious that liability of it be coming submerged will be'eliminated.

Instead of em loyin inflatable sections 10 I may provi e a p urality of tubes 31 .with springs 32 therein, the s rings having the'same efie'ctin holding the-tubes distended that the air has.

Other slight modifications may occur from time to time without departing from the spirit of the invention so I reserve the ri ht? Theflattened'ends lland 12 overlap simto makesuch'changes in form, proportion andminor details of constructions as propclaims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A floating roof for tanks, comprising a metal sheet having an upwardly and inwardly inclined peripheral flange to provide an inclined wedging face a depending circumferential flange on the bottom of the sheet adjoining said inclined flange, a packing between the upwardly and inwardly disposed flange and the side of the tank, the packing consisting of hollow tubing having deformable walls, and a coil spring within 'said tubin for tensioning the same against the wall 0 the tank.

2. A floating roof for tanks, comprising a metal sheet having an upwardly and 1nwardly turned flange to provide a bevelshaped edge, a depending circumferential flange on the bottom of the sheet, and a packing between the upwardly and inwardly disposed flange and the side of the tank, the packing consisting of hollow tubing, the walls of which are deformable and means within said hollow tubing to tension the same.

3. A floating roof for tanks, comprising a pan-shaped member having an upwardly and inwardly disposed circumferential flange, in combination with sealing means comprising a sectional yielding member resting upon the flange and means within said member to tension the same, said member being urged toward the wall of the tank by the inclination of the outer face of the flange.

4. A floating roof for tanks, comprisin a pan-shaped member having an upwarc lly and inwardly disposed circumferential flange, in combination with sealing means comprising a sectional yielding memberresting upon the flange and urged toward the wall of the tank by the inclination of the outer face of the flange, the sections of the sealing means having overlapping ends.

5. A floating roof for tanks, comprising a metal sheet having an upwardly and inwardly turned flange to provide a bevelshaped edge, a depending circumferential flange on the bottom of the sheet, and a packing between the upwardly and inwardly disposed flange and the side of the tank, the packing consisting of hollow tubing, the walls of which are deformable and a coil spring within said hollow tubing for tensioning the same against the wall of the tank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLIFTON A. GLASS. 

